Laundry machine



Dec. 29, 1959 OHM'ANN ETAL 2,918,812

LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed Feb. 26, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 m m S mm VMU NHD AM mm LT in WW Y B AT TO RN EYS Dec. 29, 1959 WQOHMANN ETAL 2,918,812

LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed Feb. 26, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2V INVENTORS WILLIAMOHMANN WALTER A. UNES BY D AT TO RN EYS Dec. 29, 1959 w. OHM ANN ET ALLAUNDRY MACHINE 4 Sheets- Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 26, 1957 m m NNE Wm m .OA.MR. ME m ww W.

ATTORNEYS Dec. 29, 1959 w, OHMANN ErAL LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed Feb. 26,1957 4' Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS WILLIAM OHMANN WALTER A. DUNES ATTORNEYS United States Patent LAUNDRY MACHINE William Ohmann, Clyde, andWalter A. Dunes, Fremont,

Ohio, assignors to Whirlpool Corporation, a corporation of DelawareApplication February 26, 1957, Serial No. 642,404

Claims. (Cl. 68-22) The present invention relates to improvements indomestic laundry machines and more particularly to an improvedarrangement of elements for a laundry machine, which achieve a rigidstable structure and yet which enable simplified more efi'icientassembly of the machine.

With the increased range of availability of electrical power throughoutthe world and improved standard of living and sanitation habits, the useof modern household mechanisms such as washing machines has become morecommon even in remote locations. In the distribution of mechanisms suchas home laundry machines to these remote areas, the problem oftransportation makes it necessary that the machine be packed into ascompact a unit as possible for shipping. The necessity of compactness isprevalent even in transporting these machines in the United States,wherein the cost to the consumer .can be reduced and the ease ofhandling enhanced, if the .device can be shipped in a disassembled stateand packed as a small unit for shipping.

The problem arises, however, in the assembly of the machine when itreaches its destination, for frequently there are not the tools ormechanical skill available to assemble anything of a complicatedmechanical nature. It is important, therefore, to satisfy the exigenciesof shipping disassembled laundry machines over long dis- 'tances and toremote places where special tools and mechanical skills are lacking, toprovide a machine which can be readily and sturdily assembled from fewparts, and wherein the connections are simple, yet reliable in nature.

,It ,is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide animproved washing machine assembly which .can ,be completely disassembledto its basic parts for simple andinexpensive shipment, and which can beeasily .and quickly .assembled at its destination with a minimum ofmechanical skill and without the need of special tools.

It is another object of the invention to provide an im- :proved washingmachine assembly which can be completely disassembled as stated above,and which when reassembled willprovide a sturdyand secure machineassembly with the points vof connection not easily disassembled throughvibration or by accident.

It 'is .a further object of the invention to provide a machine whereinthe expense of production is reduced to .a minimum wherein a minimum ofparts are provided for connecting the various elements and wherein the.danger of losing parts over a long shipping route is greatly reduced.

One of the morespecific obiects of the invention is to provide adomestic type laundry machine having animprpVed supporting leg assemblystructure.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide an improved meansof interconnecting individual legs to the tub of a domestic laundry andinterconnecting supporting braces for the legs by a simplified attachingmechanism.

ICC

Another specific object of the invention is to provide an improved legassembly comprising a caster and brace wherein the parts mutuallycooperate to support the machine and interconnect the parts, and whereinthe structure can be economically and simply made with a reduction inmanufacturing cost.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved supportingassembly for a laundry machine having legs and cross braces wherein thebraces are secured to the legs by casters and wherein the legs andbraces can be easily connected and disconnected by simple removal of thecasters.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent with the teachingof the principles of the invention in connection with the disclosure ofthe preferred embodiment in .the specification, claims and drawings, inwhich;

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an assembled washing machineembodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line IIII of Figure1;

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view taken throughthe base of the legillustrating the relationship of the parts;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detailed view in elevation of the relationshipof the parts at the base of the leg;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line VV of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an exploded view illustrating the relationship of theelements of the laundry machine as they go together in their assembledrelationship;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional View of another form of leg for thelaundry machine with the section being taken along line VIIVII of Figure8;

Figure 8 is an elevational view of the leg in the form shown in Figure 7and being illustrated with the caster being removed;

Figure 9 is a plan view taken from the bottom of the leg of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view of the pintle of the .caster;

Figure 11 is a plan view of the cross braces whichextend between thelegs and with portions of the braces removed for purposes ofillustration; and,

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken along line XII-XII of Figure 11.

One embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in Figure *1, shows adomestic type laundry machine having .a tub 10 for containing washingfluid. As shown in the exploded view of Figure 6, within the tub is anagitator 12, which is suitably driven in an oscillatory motion by thepower mechanism 14.

The power mechanism includes a gear case 16 and a driving motor 17, andtheir position relative the tub is .-also illustrated in Figure 2.

The power mechanism has a suitable upwardly extending drive shaft 13,which is splined to the agitator 12 to drive it in an oscillatorymotion. The power mechacase that leads to the opening 18, as shown inFigures .2

and 6, from which power is taken from driving the wringer 20.

The wringer is supported on a wringer head 22, which is carried at theupper end of a wringer tube 24 that is suitably secured to the side ofthe tub 10 such as by a securing fitting 24a and bolts 24b. The wringeris driven by a drive shaft 26 and the relationship of these parts asthey are brought together in assembly will be discussed in connectionwith Figure 6.

Operation of the power mechanism 14 to drive the agitator 12 within thetub 10 is controlled by a control handle 28. Operation of the wringer isalso controlled by a wringer control handle '30.

The tub is filled through the top which is closed during operation by acover 32 and the washing fluid is drained from within the containerthrough a hose 34 by gravity means. The hose is secured to a connectormember 36 connected to the bottom of the tub in a manner to be describedlater in connection with Figure 6.

The above-discussed assembly is supported at operating height from fourindividual legs 38, 40, 42 and 44. Each of the legs is individuallyattached to the side of the tub 10. Since the legs are separate, theycan be packed during shipment in a compact unit requiring a minimum ofspace. The legs are shown in a difierent form in Figures 7, 8 and 9, andwill be described later.

As illustrated in Figure 6, each of the legs are provided at their topend with a pair of horizontally spaced holes 46, 46. These holes arespaced so that they may be aligned with corresponding holes 48, 43extending through the tub wall. Bolts such as 50, 51) are provided withnuts 52, 52 to draw the upper end of the legs tightly to the tub tosecure them thereto.

For purposes of preventing damage to the tub, either during assembly orduring operation, a cushioned spacer member 56 is located between theupper end of each of the legs and the tub. This spacer member will helpprevent the tub from being damaged, if the nuts 52, 52 for theconnecting bolts Stl, 50 are drawn up too tightly. The spacer members 56will assimilate vibrations during operation to prevent damage to thetub. The spacer members 56 will also serve as gaskets to prevent leakagefrom occuring through the holes 43 through the walls of the tub.

The legs are rigidly held in fixed spaced relationship at their lowerends by braces 58 and 60, which extend at right angles to each otherbetween legs at opposite sides of the tub 1-0. The braces may be ofreinforced structure shaped with a base 62 and up-turned side flanges64. At the ends of each of the braces is a special interlockconstruction which is of a simplified nature to obtain a strong, yetsimply attached relationship to the legs.

Each of the ends of the braces 58 and 60 are identical in nature and,therefore, only one need be described and common reference numerals willbe used. Another form of brace is shown in Figures 11 and 12, and willbe described later.

As may be viewed in Figure 5, the ends 66 of the braces 53 and 60 areT-shaped and have locking ears 68 and 70, which hold the brace inposition relative to the leg.

For forming a cooperative lock between the brace and leg, the leg isprovided with a T-shaped slot, which is shown in Figures 3 and 4 at 72as an upper wide portion 74 and a lower narrow extension '76. In movingto locking position, the brace is first slid into the upper widerportion 74 of the slot and then dropped down into the narrow portion 76.In the position above described, the ears 68 and 7b of the T-shaped endof the brace lock at the edges of the narrow portion of the slot. Aslong as the brace is held downwardly in the slot 72 it will be held inlocked relationship to the leg.

For holding the brace down in the base of the slot, a locking washer 78is fitted into a groove 80 in the spindle 82 of the caster 84, as may beseen in the detailed drawing of Figure 3.

A caster 84 is provided for each of the legs and is swivelled at thebase of the legs for purposes of rolling the washing machine to thedesired location. The caster 84 includes the spindle 82, which providesthe swivelled support, and attached to the bottom of the spindle 82 area pair of downwardly extending brackets 86, 86 which carry between themthe roller 88. The roller is rotatably supported on the shaft 99extending between the brackets 86. Above the brackets 86 is a shoulder92 which rotatably bears against the base of the leg 38, as shown inFigure 3. The upper end 94 of the spindle 82 is semi-spherical orrounded in shape to provide a. bearing surface.

For providing a socket to receive the spindle 82 of the caster 84, thelower end of the leg is bent inwardly in a flange 96, which is providedwith a hole 98 for receiving the spindle. To support the upper end ofthe spindle, a tongue 1% is cut from the side of the leg 38 leaving aslot 1112. This tongue is bent inwardly and is formed with a concavedownwardly-facing surface 104, to rotatably receive the upper roundedsurface 94 of the spindle.

Thus, the weight of the washing machine rests on the caster at thepoints of contact between the concave surface 194 of the tongue 19% bentfrom the leg, and the under-surface of the flange 96 bent inwardly atthe base of the leg. As previously described, the upper end of thecaster has a groove 34? which receives a locking washer 78 to hold thebrace 58 downwardly in the base of the slot 72. This washer also holdsthe caster in place and prevents it from dropping out of the socketformed by the combination of tongue 1% and flange 95. In assembly thebrace may be extended into the slot 72 and pushed to the base of theslot, and the spindle 82 of the caster 84 projected upwardly through thehole 98 in the flange 96, through the hole 1% in the end of the brace 58and against the concave portion of tongue 101 The locking washer '78 maythen be slipped in place to hold the caster in the socket and hold thebase downwardly in the base of the slot 72. in addition to being held inplace in the slot by the tabs 63 and 7t) at the end of the base, thehole 1%, through which the spindle extends, prevents the brace frombeing drawn outwardly and it is held by the spindle 82 of the caster.

With reference to the figures of the drawing and especially Figure 6,the assembly of the entire machine will be described. The machine may bedisassembled for shipping in its basic component parts including thewringer 2t) and head 22, not shown, in Figure 6, the wringer supporttube 24, the tub 10, the agitator 12, the wringer drive shaft 26, thepower mechanism 14, the drain fitting 36, the drain tubing 34, the legs38, 40, 42, and 44, the casters 84, and the braces 58 and 60.Miscellaneous connector members such as bolts and nuts, may also beincluded. It will be noted that these basic parts can be compactlypacked with most of them being capable of being housed within the tub 10for shipping. The components, being few in number, and being easilyassembled, can be readily and quickly assembled when they reach theirdestination without the need of special tools or special mechanicalskill.

The power mechanism 14 is suspended directly beneath the tub 10 with itspower shaft 13 projecting upwardly through the opening in the center ofthe tub. The gear casing 16 is held in place by a nut 109 threaded overa hub 111 at the top of the gear casing. The wringer drive shaft 26 ismated with the driving portion within the gear case 16 and the wringersupporting tube 24 is fitted to the top of the gear casing and suitablyconnected to the side of the tub 10. The wringer head 22 and wringer arethen placed on top of the supporting tube 24.

The drain arrangement is another element which is simply installedwithout the aid of special tools and consists of a drain funnel 114which is projected down through the offset opening 15 in the base of thetub, Figure 2. A sealing washer or gasket 117 is placed beneath the head116 of the funnel. The flanged head 116 prevents the funnel from passingdown through the opening and seats in the depression of the metal aroundthe opening 15. The funnel carries camming shoulders 118 and 124) overwhich is slid the locking washer 122. The washer has a central opening124 with enlargements 126 and 128 at the sides of the opening 124 topass over the shoulders 118 and 120. When the locking washer is inplace, it is rotated and is cammed upwardly against the base of the tubto lock the drain funnel 114 in place.

I crowned top 160 of the spindle 162 of the caster.

. I The hose 34 is then' s'uitably connected to the lower end 130 ofthe'funnel and the hose is used for a gravity drain, being dropped to aposition lower than the tub to drain it and being raised when the fluidis to be retained in the tub.

The legs 38, 40, 42 and 44 are attached to the body of the tub withbolts in the manner previously described. The cross braces 58 and 60 arethen extended into the slots 72 at the base of the legs and the castersareinserted into the sockets at the lower ends of the legs. The lockwashers 78 are thenslipped overthe spindles 82 of the casters 84 and theassembly of the machine is completed. The sequence of assembly is notimportant, and it may be desirable to install the legs first forobtaining asupport for the tub. The agitator 12 is dropped in place indriving relationship with the power mechanism and the cover 32 is placedon the top of the tub 10 during operation.

Another form of leg for supporting the laundry machine ora likeappliance is shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9. The leg 132 is made of pressedsheet metal and is provided with a vertical longitudinal centrallylocated rib 134, which strengthens the construction. The edges of theleg 132 are bent inwardly .to form flanges 136 and 138 which strengthenthe legs.

At the top of .the legs the flanges 136 and 138 are cut away to formshoulders 140 and 142 to project beneath the tub 1-0 and help supportit. At the top of the legs a-pair of holes 144 and 146 aredrilled, andthe holes are spaced soas to be able to .be aligned with the holes 48 inthe sides. of .the. tub to receive the bolts 50 for securing the legs tothe tub. A cushioning pad 56 is placed between the upper end of the legand the tub in the same manner as when the legs illustrated in Figures 1through 6 are used.

, The legs are provided with sockets 148 for receiving the spindles 162of the caster 152. The sockets 148 are cylindrical in shape, and to formthe sockets 148 the lower end of the ridge 134 is enlarged to form halfof the socket. The other half of the socket 148 is provided by a shapedattached plate 152. This plate is pressed to form half of the tubularsocket 148 and is secured such as by points of weld 154 to the innerface of the leg 132.

The caster is similar to the ones used in Figures 1 through 6 and has apair of downwardly extending brackets 156, 156 with an axle pin 159extending between the lower ends to rotatably carry the caster wheel160. The brackets 156 join at their top and may be formed of a singleyoke-shaped piece of material. A shoulder 158 is provided at the top ofthe brackets 156, 156 to share the load of the washing machine.

The weight of the washer primarily rests at the As may be seen in thedetailed drawing of Figure 10, the caster is provided with a deepannular groove 164 just below the crowned top 160. A spring washer 166is positioned in the groove 164 and this washer 166 springs outwardlyagainst the inner surface of the tubular socket 148 to hold the casterin place. 'The spring washer 1166 is in the deep groove 164 and willcontract when the spindle is forced into place in the cylindrical ortubular socket 148. This will hold the caster in place while it is beingused or while the machine is being lifted, but the caster can beforcibly withdrawn from the socket, if desired.

In addition to supporting the caster 152 on the legs 132, the spindle162 also provides means for securing the ends of the cross braces 168and 170, as shown in detail in Figures 11 and 12.

Each of the cross braces 168 and 170 has a raised rib 172 and 174 forstrengthening the structure. If desirable, the edges of the braces maybe turned upwardly or downwardly to lend strength to the braces.

The braces have bored holes 176, 178 and 180 at their 6 ends to receivethe spindles 162 of the casters whereby the braces are cooperativelylocked to the base of the legs 132. For additional rigidity the braceshave bored holes through their centers to receive securing bolts 182.

In assembly of the form of legs and cross braces with connector meansshown in Figures 7 through 12, the legs 132 are first attached to thetub 10. The cross braces 168 and are attached to each other in rightangle relationship by the central bolt 182, and the ends of the bracesare secured to the legs by projecting the spindles 162 of the castersthrough the holes 176, 178 and at the ends of the braces and into thecylindrical sockets 148 at the base of the legs. This simple sequence insteps completes .the assembly, and it is to be noted that no specialtools or skills are involved. Further, the parts can be disassembled andbrought together in a compact unit for ease of handling and shipping.

Thus, it will be seen that we have provided an improved washing machineassembly which meets the objectives and advantages hereinbefore setforth. The improved relationship' of the parts and arrangement forinter-connection thereof simplifies and reduces the cost of themanufacturing process and obtains a product which requires a minimumnumber of parts.

The reduction in parts and simplification of assembly thereof makes themachine well suited to shipment to all parts of the world in thatshipping cos-ts are reduced and in that no special training is necessaryfor assembly of the machine.

We have, in the drawings and specification, presented a detaileddisclosure of the preferred embodiment of our invention, but it is to beunderstood that we do not intend to limit the invention to the specificform disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications, changes andalternative constructions and methods falling within the scope of theprinciples taught by our invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a washing machine assembly having a tub and a power drivenagitator therein, the combination of individual legs for supporting thetub having slots at the lower ends with a narrow extension at the baseof the slot, individual connecting means for connecting each of the legsindividually to the surface of the tub, brace means extending betweenthe legs, T-shaped connectors at the ends of the brace means to bereceived by the slots in the legs and held in the narrow extensions atthe base to secure the legs to the brace in their relative positions,sockets extending upwardly througr the base of the legs and through theends of the braces, casters having spindles extending into the socketsand through the braces, and means on the spindles of the casters andengaging the braces whereby the T-shaped ends are urged downwardly andheld in said narrow extensions in interlocking engagement with the legs.

2. In a washing machine assembly including a tub for containing washingfluid and a power driven agitator in the tub, legs formed of sheetmetal, means for individually connecting the legs to the tub, a casterfor each of the tub legs to transport the machine, a flange turnedinwardly at the base of each leg with an opening to receive the casterspindle, a tongue cut from the side of the leg and bent inwardly overthe flange and provided with a socket for receiving the upper end of thecaster spindle whereby the caster is connected to the leg, bracesextending between the legs and having openings at the ends through whichthe caster spindles extend, brace receiving means on the leg for lockingthe brace when held downwardly, and means on the caster spindle forholding the brace downwardly to lock the assembly in connectedrelationship.

3. A washing machine comprising assembled elements including a fluidcontaining tub having a centrally located opening and an offset openingin the bottom, a power supply mechanism adapted for suspension below thetub and having a vertical power shaft, means for detachably supportingthe power supply mechanism from the centrally located opening in the tubbottom with the power shaft extending therethrough, a drain element,means for detachably attaching the drain element to the oflset opening,a wringer for removing moisture from the clothes that are washed in thetub, a wringer support member detachably secured to the side of the tub,a power connecting means extending between the wriuger and the powersupply means, an agitator attached to the power shaft of the powersupply means within the tub, individual legs attached to the sides ofthe tub, means for individually detachably attaching each of the legsdirectly to the tub, brace means extending between the legs and holdingthem in a fixed spaced relationship, and detachable means connecting thebrace means to each of the legs whereby each of the elements may beremoved from the assembly for compact handling and shipping.

4. In a washing machine assembly having a tub and a power drivenagitator therein, the combination of individual legs for supporting thetub having stepped slots at their lower ends, individual connectingmeans for connecting each of the legs individually to the surface of thetub, brace means extending between the legs and having end portionsformed for insertion into the slots and for locking engagement thereinto secure the legs to the braces in their relative positions, socketsextending upwardly through the base of the legs and through the ends ofthe braces, casters having spindles extending into the sockets andthrough the braces, and means on the casters engaging the braces alongthe upper surfaces thereof to 0 urge the braces downwardly and maintainthe formed end portions thereof in locking engagement with the legs byfirm location in the slots therein.

5. In a washing machine assembly including a tub for containing Washingfluid and a power driven actuator in. the tub, legs formed of sheetmetal, means for connecting the legs to the tub, casters having uprightspindles being received by the base of the legs, spaced inwardlyextending flange portions carried along the lower end of each leg, oneof said flange portions having an opening to receive the caster spindle,and another of the flange portions being provided with a socket forreceiving the upper end of the caster spindle whereby the caster isconnected to the leg, braces extending between the legs and havingopenings at the ends through which the caster spindles extend, bracereceiving means on the leg for locking the brace when held downwardly,and means on the caster spindle for holding the brace downwardly to lockthe assembly in connected relationship.

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